Softball Eliminated From NCAA Tournament

The Montclair State softball team saw its record-setting season end on
Friday as the Red Hawks were eliminated from the NCAA Plattsburgh
Regional with a 3-2

loss to Eastern Connecticut. Earlier in the day the
Red Hawks held off elimination with a 6-0 triumph over Springfield
College.

MSU, which was making its 18th
appearance in the NCAA Tournament, ends its season at 43-6. The Red
Hawks earned their way into their second consecutive NCAA Tournament by
capturing the NJAC Championship.

The
Warriors' Kim Church went 3-for-3, doubling home the eventual
game-winning run in the second after Casey Mahoney doubled to lead off
the inning. Ashley Sullivan and Courtney Caswell each had a run batted
in the two-run first inning for the Warriors (28-13 overall). Katie
Pensiero improved to 14-5 on the season, scattering six hits and
allowing two runs (1 earned) over four innings. Lisa Cody threw two
scoreless innings of relief to notch her third save.

Jennifer Jimenez (Linden, NJ / Linden) had two RBI andLeslie Gonzalez (North Bergen, NJ / North Bergen) went 3-for-4 for the Red Hawks. Starting pitcher Kelly Karp (Edison, NJ / Edison) was dealt her first loss of the season after giving up three runs in one inning and four walks, including two with the bases loaded.

Jimenez
went 3-for-4 from the plate, hit two home runs, and drove home four RBI
as the Red Hawks advanced earlier in the day with a 6-0 win over
Springfield College.

With
no score heading into the top of the fourth, Jimenez led off the inning
with a homerun just over the center field fence to give the Red Hawks a
1-0 lead. Montclair took advantage of a couple of errors made by the
Pride in the fifth; tallying two more runs to increase the lead, 3-0.
The Red Hawks finished out their scoring in the seventh off a
solo-homerun by Jackie Ferranti (Bergenfield, NJ / Bergenfield), her 20th career round-tripper and a two-run long ball by Jimenez over the right field fence.

Michelle Wlosek, Jaimie Moran and Aimee Cassella each had a hit for Springfield.

Carolyn McCrea (Wharton, NJ / Jefferson)
earned the win for the Red Hawks as she improved to 24-4. In six
innings pitched, she allowed three hits, walked two and struck out six
as she picked up her 74th career victory to set the MSU career mark.
McCrea surpassed the record held by Dina DeAquina (1986-88) and equaled
by Crystal Sweeney (2001-04).

Elia Persico (Marlton, NJ / Cherokee) pitched the final inning of the game for Montclair and retired all three batters faced.